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OK to use curtain to obtain the optimum room size?

short version:

Is it possible to use a large curtain (stage curtain or sth like that) to adjust the room size? If so any side effect?

long version:

I am building a house and will devote one room for listening and working room. As part of it is a working area, there will be lots of stuffs (table, computer, moniter, printer, bookshelf etc.) that would make the listening room not perfect.

So I got the idea that if I build the room larger than the optimum listening room size and put my working stuff on one end of the room and put the curtain where the size is perfect for a listening room. This way I can listen to music as a background while I work. Then when I want to do a serious listening, I can close the curtain (from ceiling to floor long) and have aperfect listening room size.

Has anyone done this before? Any pro/con doing this way? I guess a curtain may make the room less reflective (deadier), but not sure about diffraction along the edge of the curtain.

Also as it will be my personal room so I can decorate anyway I want and do not have to worry much about its look.

Any thoughts would be appreciated,

Ake
ake
lugnut
1,190 posts
 
Ake,

A well-designed tri-fold panel on each side could do what you want although a consultation with Rives about the materials used in it's construction would be wise. I think it's a worthy idea.

Patrick
ake OP
48 posts
 
if the curtain is out, how about a solid sliding door? How solid or thick the wall has to be?
subaruguru
1,353 posts
 
Why are you doing this? If it's because you're only going to use part of a room for your system, and NOT an important aestheic requirement (spousal acceptance factor? Ha!), then why not set up your system and start fine-tuning speaker position? In other words such a nearfield geometry in a larger space can afford GREAT benefits in sounstage depth and freedom from secondary reflections. Yes, you MAY require additional bottom octave support if the room is TOO large. I use an 8' equilateral triangle in a 14x24x8 room VERY successfully. My "stage" is at least 20' deep sometimes! Good luck, and sorry if I'm off the mark re your needs. ern
sidssp
1,077 posts
 
How big a room are you building? If you give me the sizes maybe I can suggest something.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
so how's curtain finished dedicated listening room?
i have an open dedicated listening small joint in my huge living room and that's work fine for me.
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